


no one else for you

by awashleyno



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Jealous Eddie, Love Confessions, M/M, Oblivious Buck, also there's a bet and someone wins, they do eventually..., two dumb idiots who need to learn to Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:07:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24238534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awashleyno/pseuds/awashleyno
Summary: The only problem is, just because they’re out as a team doesn’t mean they’re alone in the bar. It happens nearly every time and Eddie hates it, mostly because he has the same reaction every time. They gather at their usual table, laughing and drinking and, eventually, fighting over whoever it is that needs to be sent up to get the next round. This time, it’s Buck, which means the steady warmth of his body pressed up against Eddie’s side is gone. It means he has to sit back and watch him wander off, watch the way all the eyes in the damn place seem to flock to him. And he doesn’t blame them, how could he? All he ever does is look at him.. doesn’t mean he has to like seeing other people look at Buck.Or,Someone flirts with Buck and Eddie gets jealous.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Evan “Buck” Buckley & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 347





	no one else for you

**Author's Note:**

> my first long(ish) fic written for a friend who asked for jealous eddie!! and waited two weeks for this hot mess. beta done by me so if there's mistakes.. my bad.

Even if their nights off often coincide with one another, it’s not often that all of them actually have a _free_ night to spend together. The last time they’d done it had been when Chim’s brother had shown up out of the blue and that certainly hadn’t ended well. Eddie’s hopeful that tonight will be a lot better, that they’ll all leave in good spirits — and, maybe a little bit drunk.

He always likes seeing his teammates get drunk. But, he enjoys when Buck gets drunk most of all, because it means his sense of boundaries usually disappear. Not to say that they haven’t always been particularly tactile with one another, but it usually takes it to a new level. Plus, it’s an excuse for Eddie to reach out and touch, something he usually doesn’t let himself do.

Buck is the one who’s always free about it, like it’s the most casual thing in the damn world to throw an arm around Eddie and pull him against his side, to hug him and tuck his head away in the crook of his neck like it belongs there and it’s.. god, it’s far too much. Way too much for him to handle, when all he wants is _more_ , far more than he should crave from his best friend.

The only problem is, just because they’re out as a _team_ doesn’t mean they’re alone in the bar. It happens nearly every time and Eddie hates it, mostly because he has the same reaction _every time_. They gather at their usual table, laughing and drinking and, eventually, fighting over whoever it is that needs to be sent up to get the next round. This time, it’s Buck, which means the steady warmth of his body pressed up against Eddie’s side is gone. It means he has to sit back and watch him wander off, watch the way all the eyes in the damn place seem to flock to him. And he doesn’t blame them, how could he? All he ever does is look at him.. doesn’t mean he has to like seeing other people look at Buck.

It’s like watching something unfold in slow motion and Eddie hates it. The way he knows instantly what’s about to happen as Buck weasels his way into a free spot at the bar, how the woman next to him turns towards him and smiles, then tucks her hair behind her ear. He knows _exactly_ what that means and it makes his hand tighten on his now empty beer bottle, his jaw clenching.

“Hey, Eddie,” Chimney’s voice breaks through his daze, his eyes snapping away and towards the source only by reflex, “You good?”

“Yeah, fine,” Eddie answers, seemingly enough for his friend who turns back to Maddie. It’s not enough for Hen, though, whose eyes he can feel practically boring into the side of his head as his attention drifts helplessly back to Buck.

He wishes he hadn’t done it, that he’d kept looking away, because the scene he’s met with is even worse than it was the first time. By now, the woman has gotten Buck’s attention while he waits for their drinks, and he’s sure if their team wasn’t so loud Eddie could probably hear the way she laughs at something Buck says. It’s all put on, he knows, but that’s not what bothers him the most — it’s when she reaches out and rests her hand on Buck’s bicep. He feels it, the tightness in his jaw, how his eyes are practically glaring holes in the girl’s hand, as if that’ll somehow get her to _back off_.

“Earth to Eduardo—” Chim’s voice breaks through again, but it’s still not enough to drag his gaze away, to realize the whole damn team have their eyes on him right now. All he can see is Buck and that woman, the way she’s shifting closer, how Buck doesn’t move away, doesn’t shake her off.

“That’s not my name,” Eddie answers, his voice almost hollow, like an automatic response, given his attention is elsewhere. His patience with the scene before him is wearing thin, like a rubber band stretched to capacity, one small tug away from bursting.

“What’s got you looking like you’re seconds away from Hulking out on us?” Chim asks, Eddie’s gaze flickering over towards him momentarily. He can feel it then, the tense set to his muscles, the way his jaw is tight, how his knuckles are practically white around the empty bottle in his hand.

“Nothing,” he scoffs, his eyes finally dancing across his team. Hen’s got an eyebrow raised, obviously not believing him in the slightest and Chimney has that damn smirk on his face he’s always got when he calls him _Eduardo_. It’s not until he looks at Maddie that his stomach drops, that he realizes how obvious he’s being, because she’s got an all-too-knowing smile on her face, understanding and kindness in her eyes that make him instantly look away.

Karen seems to be the only one to take pity on him, calling out for Buck with a swift, “Buckaroo, we’re waiting!” that drags Eddie back to the man in question; where he has to watch him fumble through saying goodbye to the woman, a blush on his cheeks obvious even from this distance when she tucks a napkin into the pocket of his jeans, her phone number no doubt written on it. That’s all it takes for that goddamn metaphorical rubber band to snap, Eddie inhaling sharply through his nose.

He’s not even paying attention as Buck starts to wander back, the wolf whistles and mocking his friends let out practically going on deaf ears for him. All he can see is Buck and that damn, stupidly gorgeous grin on his face as he wanders back over, beers in hand.

“Sorry I took so long, got a little.. caught up,” Buck mumbles, to more yelling from their teammates that Eddie doesn’t hear through the roaring in his ears. Fuck, he needs to get a grip, he needs to get _out_.

“I need some air,” Eddie grunts, shoving his way out of the booth, for once keeping his eyes away from his best friend. He can’t look at him right now, can’t be faced with the reality of how fucking _gone_ he is. He doesn’t even brush his shoulder against Buck like he usually might, to show him he’s alright, he just needs a minute — because he’s _not_ alright, not even slightly.

The coolness to the air outside the bar is more than welcome, Eddie’s eyes closing as he drags in a deep breath. He opens them only long enough to shuffle to the side, away from the doors, to lean against the rough brick of the building. He scrubs a hand over his face as he closes his eyes again, laughing without any hint of humor at how ridiculous he’s being.

There’s no reason he should feel like this, so.. wound up over seeing Buck with some random woman at the bar. His friend has every right to go and flirt with people, whoever the hell he might be interested in, because even though they’re _close_ that’s not something they’ve talked about before. He’s been curious, he’s wanted to _ask_ , but he’s always been afraid it would give him away.

Because, that would never be the real answer he was searching for, would it? He wasn’t going to be asking if Buck was interested in men; it would all be an effort to see if Buck was interested in _him_. But he can’t be, how could he be? Buck was his _best friend_ and the last thing he wanted to do was fuck that up, he meant far too much to him — and Christopher. God, Eddie wouldn’t be able to live with himself if his actions meant his son lost another important figure in his life.

“Eddie?”

Of course, _of course_ it has to be Buck that wanders out into the night to find him, because why wouldn’t he? If the tables were turned, if Buck had left in a rush, then Eddie would absolutely be the one to follow him.

“I’m fine, Buck, go back inside,” he says, rolling his head back forward to look at the man before him. He’s hit with it again, like a punch right to the gut, when he sees Buck’s expression: soft, worried, his eyebrows scrunching with concern as he tilts his head to the side.

“Did you have too much to drink? I can take you home if you want,” Buck says, because that’s what he does — always putting others needs before his own, even when it comes to his own damn night out.

“You didn’t offer that woman a ride back home?” Eddie scoffs before even realizing he’s done it, a bitter tone to his voice he hasn’t had since the damn lawsuit and, fuck, maybe he did have too much to drink if he’s spouting shit like this.

“That.. what are you talking about?” Buck asks, his face transforming yet again, this time with confusion, like it makes no sense, like Eddie didn’t _see him_ with her.

“Forget it,” Eddie grunts, shoving away from the wall, taking a few paces away from his friend, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. He can’t do this, not now, not _ever_.

“Eddie.. talk to me,” Buck says, his voice closer, like he’s following him; which, he probably is. Buck is so damn kind, so perfect, far too good for a man like Eddie. He’d never do enough to deserve him.

“There’s nothing to talk about, Buck. Go back inside, have fun,” Eddie grunts, waving his hand about, needing his friend to _leave_ before he says something he shouldn’t. He’s had too much to drink tonight, the feelings he usually keeps held so close to his chest fighting to break to the surface.

“Obviously there is.. I can tell you’re upset..” And yup, there it is, that soft look on his face, open and gorgeous and everything Eddie has been fucking _aching_ for since the moment he realized how important Buck had become.

“It’s nothing, Buck, just _drop it_. Go have fun with that girl.. you looked like you were getting on real well,” Eddie says, that bitterness back in his voice. It must give him away, because Buck’s face changes again, understanding dawning in his eyes that instantly has Eddie saying, “Don’t.”

“Eddie..” Buck’s eyes are so damn wide, open, _vulnerable_ , everything that Eddie was taught _not to be_ by his father. It’s so wholly unfair, makes Eddie’s defenses rear up so quickly he feels like he’s getting whiplash. “You don’t have to be afraid..”

“Of course I do, Buck! Are you kidding? This ruins _everything_ ,” Eddie rambles, pacing back and forth across the sidewalk in front of Buck.

“Eddie, can you please stop for like two seconds? It’s not a big deal and if you just let me talk—” Buck tries again, but Eddie still continues on, as if he never even heard him, lost as he is in his thoughts and his stress, his worry that he’s gone and fucked this up so wholly and he’s about to lose his best friend because of it.

“No, Buck, it is a big fucking deal. I can’t lose you, okay? Christopher can’t lose you all because I.. I can’t get a handle on this shit. Why wouldn’t it be a big deal?” He’s not even sure when his voice started to raise, verging on hysteric at this point, at the thought of Christopher suffering because of his inability to just let it go.

“It’s not, Eddie,” Buck counters, stepping towards Eddie. He sidesteps him and holds a hand out, shaking his head.

“Don’t, Buck, don’t.. don’t pity me, don’t try and.. and tell me all the bullshit. The, oh it’s fine, we can still be friends, because we can’t be, not after this. And you can’t.. keep saying it’s fine, because it’s not, not when—” He’s cut off from saying anything else, his tipsy ramble gone silent by Buck’s own admission.

“I’m in love with you,” Buck all but yells, making Eddie’s world come to a screeching halt, his ears ringing and his expression no doubt all but cartoonish in his shock.

“What?” Eddie says dumbly, his head shaking, “you can’t be..” His voice is barely above a whisper, though maybe that’s because of how his ears are still ringing, his heart pounding so badly he can feel it in his chest.

“I sure as hell can, thank you very much. So just stop your rambling because it’s pointless, okay? Unless you wanna say something in return because that.. that’d be pretty nice, actually..” Apparently it’s Buck’s turn to ramble, which is so goddamn endearing that Eddie can hardly stand it, his lips slowly beginning to slide into a grin.

It all happens so quickly he barely realizes what he’s doing until it’s happening, until he’s somehow managed to get Buck pressed up against the brick wall of the bar, his hands cradling his jaw like he’s something precious — because _he is_ — their lips meeting in a long, long overdue kiss.

It’s not perfect, if anything it’s a little sloppy, but Buck makes this soft, little pleased sound that makes Eddie settle, finally, makes his stomach flutter as Buck’s hands ground themselves on Eddie’s hips. Time practically passes in slow motion along with the glide of their mouths, until their lips are both thoroughly red and Buck has a beautiful blush sitting high on his cheeks as Eddie pulls away. Not far; just enough to press their foreheads together, brush his thumbs over the man’s jawline.

“I love you, too, by the way,” he says, belatedly, Buck’s answering grin practically blinding. “So you can just.. throw that girl’s number away..” It’s Eddie’s turn to grin as Buck laughs, reaching up to grab for one of Eddie’s hands and intertwine their fingers.

“Mm, no need for it.. I know exactly who I’m going home with tonight,” Buck answers, his voice pitched lower, a mischievous grin on his face that makes Eddie remember where they are — the fact that their whole team is inside, waiting, probably wondering what the hell is happening.

“Dunno, think I’ve got a beer to finish.. you went through an awful lot to get it for me,” Eddie points out, squeezing Buck’s hand as he pulls away, not missing the small pout on his lips, the way he groans his disapproval.

“Okay, but after that,” Buck suggests, still holding his hand as they enter the bar again, his head tipping closer to whisper in Eddie’s ear, “I’m so dragging you outta here.”

Eddie takes his turn to groan, wondering if it was a total mistake to not have just left with him then, say fuck all to the beer and the ribbing they’re bound to get from their team in favor of dragging Buck back to his place. His thoughts are in places they most definitely shouldn’t be given they’re in public, thankfully broken out of it by the sudden shout from his teammate, his friend, his _family_.

“Pay up!” Hen yells, to everyone else’s groans, and it doesn’t even bother Eddie in the slightest, not when it feels like he’s walking on air, Buck’s hand in his like it was made to fit there, like Eddie always imagined it would.

And, this time, when Maddie turns her soft, kind gaze on him, Eddie doesn’t shy away; he just nods and smiles right back. This is exactly where he belongs.

**Author's Note:**

> come check me out on tumblr mayhaps (eddiedeaz) i got small prompts there too!!


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